Town Board Meeting

August 11, 2005

Meeting was called to order at 7:00 p.m.

Pledge of Allegiance

Members Present: Corlis West, Wendy Anderson, Stephen Dahl, Jeff Cook,

Members Absent: Dan Tanner

  1. Approve Minutes
    1. Corlis West made a motion to approve the minutes as sent out by the Clerk, Wendy Anderson seconded. Motion passed
  2. Concerns from the Audience
    1. George Sundstrom – Township Property
  3. Approve Agenda
    1. Jeff Cook; Under Planning and Zoning – Tax Forfeit land sales
    2. Wendy Anderson made a motion to approve the agenda as amended, Jeff Cook seconded. Motion passed.
  4. Correspondence
    1. Help America Vote Act (HAVA) meeting
      1. Tuesday Aug 30, 10:00 a.m. Courthouse – Jeff Cook will attend or contact Dan Tanner to see if he is available.
    2. North Shore Management – Funding Request
      1. Hold until Old Business
    3. Lake Superior School District – Special Election September 22, 2005
      1. Planning and Zoning will move their meeting to September 29, 2005.
    4. Minnesota Extension Service – Wood Ash Application
      1. Notification of wood ash application.
  5. Treasurers Report - Absent
  6. Program of Work
    1. Everyone go through their program of work and discuss.
  7. Department Reports
    1. Police
      1. Presented by Shawn Padden
      2. Six Junk Car Ordinance letters were mailed. Five property owners will receive an extension until September 8, 2005. The newsletter received an article paraphrasing the junk car ordinance.
    2. Fire
      1. ISO letter has been received. Corlis West thanked the fire department for their efforts in lowering the township’s ISO rating.
      2. Due to the dry weather the DNR has issued a burning ban.
    3. Community Center
      1. Rent has not been received for June, July or August.
      2. Jeanne Anderson
        1. Presented the Board with a draft of what will run in the next newsletter and has proposed a session on how the classes will be run.
        2. Does she need to mark on the hiring form that this is a non-profit registration? NO.
        3. Do instructors need background checks? Stephen Dahl suggested contacting the town attorney.
      3. Wendy Anderson – FIREWISE. There are two options:
        1. Reline the old coal crib to create a 16,000 gallon tank. If this option was chosen the fire department would not be able to use the tank as a water source in the event of a fire.
        2. Outside tank. If this option was chosen the fire department would be allowed to siphon off only 10,000 gallons and then would be required to refill the tank at the conclusion on the fire.
        3. Table until September.
        4. The Township received a Watershed festival certificate for our participation in the program.
    4. Legal – Not available at this meeting
    5. Town Hall
      1. Township maintenance manager Bob Abrahamson has a new assistant: Susan Meredith
    6. Planning and zoning
      1. Yvonne Rutherford created and presented a draft a property owners guide. "A Guide to Understanding Land Use and Living in Duluth Township". The Board will hold a special meeting August 17, 2005 to review and discuss the document.
      2. Probable cost to research Adult Use. Corlis West made a motion to accept ($1000.00) as a cost to study adult use, Jeff Cook seconded. Funding to come out of the general fund. This amount covers only the Planning and Zoning Commission, attorney fees will be in addition and also from the General fund.
      3. "Headstart" program at the Community Center: A request was made for an inspection by the township building inspector. The township does not have a building inspector.
      4. Scott Smith. St. Louis County has requested the following changes to our Zoning Ordinance
        1. From SCOa and SCOb to SCO8a and SCO8b, and add DNR to the label change.
        2. The county has scheduled a meeting in September to make their ordinance as restrictive as ours.
        3. The Comprehensive Land Use Plan does not need to go through the county planning commission, the township has the right to create and adopt their own comp plan.
      5. Stephen Dahl made a motion to approve the recommended changes: [#1: SCOa and SCOb to SCO8a and SCO8b. #2: Article 10, section 1 sub part "E" add as #3 (from St. Louis County article 8, section 1.04) has to do with reference to coordinating with the DNR] presented by Sue Lawson, given to us by St. Louis County, Corlis West seconded. Motion passed.
      6. Jeff Cook made a motion to enact the new Zoning ordinance as amended August 11, 2005; effectuation date will be August 12, 2005, Corlis West seconded. Motion passed. Cost of each ordinance - $20.00, per hard copy.
      7. Tax Forfeit Land Sales – Everything the township had been told concerning Tax Forfeit land sales at the July Board meeting, the exact opposite is happening.
        1. Jeff Cook made a resolution to draft a letter with our concerns about the tax forfeit property in our township, Corlis West seconded. Motion passed.
        2. Add to the August 17, 2005 special meeting.

       

    7. Recycling
      1. Bob Abrahamson requested the South Recycling shed be opened. Jeff Cook recommended waiting until construction of the McQuade Road Public Access has been completed.
    8. Road and Bridge
      1. Qwest – Rand Olson, cable on the Shilhon Road, North side.
    9. Cemetery
      1. Maps are incorrect.
  8. Old Business
    1. Jeff Cook – Tabled Motion – North Shore Management Board
      1. Jeff made a motion to pay $750.00 for membership to the North Shore Management Board, Stephen Dahl seconded. Motion passed.
  9. New Business
    1. Personnel issues –Special Meeting August 24 – 7:00 p.m.
  10. Pay Bills
  11. Motion to Adjourn. 9:40 p.m.